Figure 6. Altered generation of reactive oxygen species and expression of defense genes in SlSRN1-silenced plants after infection with B. cinerea.

Two-week-old seedlings were infiltrated with agrobacteria carrying TRV-SlSRN1 or TRV-GUS and were inoculated by spraying with spore suspension of B. cinerea at 2 weeks after VIGS infiltration. Leaf samples were collected at 0 (as controls) and 24 hr after inoculation for detection of reactive oxygen species and analyses of defense gene expression. A and B. Detection of H₂O₂ and superoxide anion by DAB and NBT staining, respectively. Representative stained leaves are shown and the experiments were repeated twice with similar results. C. Expression of defense genes after infection with B. cinerea. Relative expression levels were calculated by comparing with the corresponding values at 0 h after treatment (as a control). At least 6 leaves from 6 individual silenced or control plants were used for each experiment. Data presented are the means ± SD from three independent experiments and different letters above the columns indicate significant differences at p<0.05 level.